Category Management

Jun 1, 2014

Charlotte Area CPO's Share Insights on Supplier Relationship Management

I had the opportunity to host a roundtable at Fleming’s Steakhouse in downtown Charlotte for a group of Chief Procurement Officers hosted by Accenture, sharing thoughts on the subject of… 

Feb 27, 2014

Small Business Manufacturing in America: Innovate, Design, Develop and Manufacture

I had a remarkable interview with a medium sized supplier today, that has truly found a business model which I believe holds a promise for a new industrial revolution in… 

Feb 3, 2014

The Origins of Category Management

I was fortunately enough to have a fascinating discussion with Steve Zimmer, who currently leads a team at US Car.  For those who may have been around for a few… 

Jan 28, 2014

So what exactly is Supplier Relationship Management, anyway?

A lot of terminology is being thrown in pubic forums, using terms such as collaboration, partnering, relationship management, and other themes.  These terms are, in my opinion, being over-used, without… 

Dec 12, 2013

Unlocking the Secrets of Guanxi in Supply Chains…

Professor Baofeng Huo left to return to Zhejiang University this week.  Baofeng and I have spent a great deal of time together this fall, discussing and comparing the importance of… 

Nov 15, 2013

Sourcing Analytics Combined with Relationship Management is Key for Automotive Suppliers

I spent some time visiting this week with Sensata in Aguascaliente Mexico.  Sensata is a major manufacturer of automotive sensors, with major customers such as Continental AG, BMW, Bosch, Nissan,… 

Oct 19, 2013

Emerging Issues for Procurement in Oil and Gas

This past week, I hosted a meeting with a small group of oil and gas procurement executives  in Houston to share thoughts on some of the major trends occurring in… 

Aug 22, 2013

Procurement needs to follow in the steps of marketing

A recent interview I conducted with a former Chief Procurement Officer who has worked for over 25 years in procurement in various industries captures what I believe is the true… 

Aug 8, 2013

SCRC Partner Profile: A Textbook Transformation at Biogen-Idec

Although strategic sourcing capabilities are well established in industries ranging from automotive to electronics, they are still in the formative stages in the biotechnology sector.   It isn’t easy to drive… 

Jul 17, 2013

Don't Blame Purchasing! (The Hardest Job in the Enterprise)

Over the last week, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with a number of individuals about how important it is to change people’s view of the procurement function.  Up to…